One of the guys accused of scamming 50 Cent out of millions of dollars threatened to kill himself rather than face the rapper and admit to the crime.
50 Cent has filed a lawsuit against Beam Suntory and ex-employees Julious Grant, Michael Caruso, and his wife, Gina Caruso, seeking millions in damages.
50 Cent alleges they were involved in an elaborate embezzlement scheme with an associate named Mitchell Green, who 50 Cent hired to represent Sire Spirits.
Instead of handling business, the group doublecrossed 50 Cent and siphoned money from his liquor company by inflating costs and pocketing the excess loot.
One of the guys, Mitchell Green, has already pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud in connection with his participation and is awaiting sentencing for his role in the scheme.
The whole scam fell apart when Grant attempted to extort Caruso and Green for more money because he was unhappy with his take, which allegedly amounted to over $1 million.
“Money [Michael Caruso’s nickname]…you and your partner have been getting fat at my expense…This is how I want this to work you guys by months end will pay me 600k. I’ll consider this a walk away severance… If you chose not to do so I will… let Fif know the reason he was paying such high margarine [sic]…You and your partner do t [sic] want that kind of smoke from Fif,” Grant wrote to Caruso in a text message.
Green decided it was best to meet with 50 Cent’s lawyers and a retired FBI agent investigating the scams on behalf of Sire Spirits to confess his thieving ways.
During a call organized by Green, while everyone was listening, Caruso admitted to stealing, began sobbing and threatened to commit suicide if Green admitted the scam to 50 Cent.
Green also met with two other FBI agents later that week and laid out the entire scam, which quickly unraveled.
Green was eventually terminated from working with Sire after he stopped cooperating with the investigation and lawyered up.
As a result of the scamming operation, 50 Cent and Sire Spirits had to reevaluate their relationships with suppliers, vendors, employees and third-party contractors, which caused significant damage to the mogul’s liquor business.
50 Cent and Sire Spirits are suing for at least $6 million in damages.
50 recently tapped civil rights attorney Ben Crump to join his legal team in the fight to increase minority representation in the multibillion-dollar luxury spirits industry.
The pair had a meeting with Congressional Leaders on Capitol Hill on June 5.
“Suntory Global Spirits is a $20 billion a year company, when they don’t follow compliance they just pay a fine. Would you mind paying a fine, when you make $20 billion a year. I gotta fight them can’t just let them beat me out of my money,” 50 Cent said.
